Wilba

♀ Girl

Pronounced WIL-buh /ˈwɪlbə/Medium

Meaning: Wilba is a scarce girl's name from the early nineteen-hundreds, most plausibly a feminine echo of Wilbur or a clipped form of Wilhelmina. Both trace to the Germanic wil, 'will, desire,' so Wilba likely inherits that 'resolute' sense, though its exact coinage is not documented.Low

In 30 seconds: Wilba is a rare early-century girl's name, likely from Wilbur or Wilhelmina, tied to Germanic 'will.' It flickered in use around the nineteen-tens.

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Origin LowEnglish, Germanic

MeaningWilba is a scarce girl's name from the early nineteen-hundreds, most plausibly a feminine echo of Wilbur or a clipped form of Wilhelmina. Both trace to the Germanic wil, 'will, desire,' so Wilba likely inherits that 'resolute' sense, though its exact coinage is not documented.

U.S. rank (1941)#4406 ↘ Falling

1941 U.S. births6 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1913

Total births (all-time)≈ 165

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Wilba is a rare girl's name recorded in the early twentieth century, most likely coined as a feminine of Wilbur or a short form of Wilhelmina, both from the Germanic wil, 'will, desire.' Such locally invented feminine forms were fairly common in rural America of that period, though they left little documentation.

It was never common and barely registered, reaching only about twenty girls a year at its slim high point in the nineteen-teens. A girl named Wilba then would have been born well over a century ago.

Did you know? Wilba belongs to a small group of homespun early-century American girls' names formed by feminizing a father's or grandfather's name such as Wilbur or William.

Overall data confidence 30%

References - Wilba — Likely feminine of Wilbur or short form of Wilhelmina; Germanic wil, 'will'

Variations

WilbaWilbahWilmaWilhelmina

Nicknames

WillaBillieWil

Famous Bearers

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If you like Wilba…

Wilma— a like Wil- girl's name of the era

Willa— another feminine will-name

Wilhelmina— a possible parent name

Alba— a similar short -ba girl's name

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By themerare vintage feminine-form early-century

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Wilba mean?

It is likely a feminine of Wilbur or a short form of Wilhelmina, tied to Germanic will, 'will, desire.'

How do you pronounce Wilba?

It is said WIL-buh /ˈwɪlbə/, two syllables with the stress on the first.

Is Wilba a boy or girl name?

Wilba is used as a girl's name.

How popular is the name Wilba?

It has always been rare in the United States, given to only about twenty girls a year even at its slim peak in the nineteen-teens.